PITCHING IN: CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat leading a protest rally of the ``Madhya Pradesh Adivasi Ekta Mahasabha,'' demanding land, food and employment, in Bhopal on Monday. — Photo: A.M. Faruqui

BHOPAL: Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politbureau member Brinda Karat led a protest demonstration for Tribals' rights here on Monday. Ms. Karat also met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan along with a delegation to draw his attention towards various issues confronting tribals and minorities in the State.

Briefing mediapersons at the State CPI (M) office, Ms. Karat said that tribals in Madhya Pradesh suffered on the public distribution system (PDS) front due to the faulty policies of both the Congress-led Government at the Centre and the State Government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

She said that tribals were being denied even the minimum right to food security in Madhya Pradesh. Citing the findings of a survey conducted by her party in the State, Ms. Karat said tribals owning unproductive land were not being given below poverty line or Antyodaya cards and hence were uncovered by the PDS system. She also criticised the Centre's quota policy regarding allocations to different States under the PDS system. Ms. Karat said: "When this issue was raised by the Left in the last session of Parliament, the main Opposition BJP did not say anything."

Proper monitoring

While the CPI (M) wanted an alternative food policy and universalisation of the PDS system, the BJP and Congress wanted to continue the targeted system.

Under the existing order, 57 per cent of the total tribal population in the State remained uncovered by the PDS system. Ms. Karat said that this issue as well as the issue of malnutrition was brought to Mr. Chauhan's notice, who was also urged to set up a mechanism for the proper monitoring of the PDS in tribal areas.

The Rural employment Guarantee Act and its implementation was also discussed with Mr. Chauhan. Ms. Karat said the State Government's stringent criteria on this count made it impossible to be met.

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